Match Report: Basingstoke Town 2 – 1 Mangotsfield Utd Saturday 8th February 2020

Bet Victor Division One South – Saturday 8th February 2020
Basingstoke Town 2 v 1 Mangotsfield United Attendance 299
Where: The Simplyhealth Stadium, Hillier Way, Winchester. S023 7SR

Two, Four, Six, Eight how many chances did we create, but miss as we hold onto a win against a battling under-strength Mangotsfield side.

Manager Dan Brownlie’s starting line-up bolstered by ex-Stokies George Hallahan and Simon Dunn was; 1. Aaron Watkins, 2. Alfie Saunders, 3. Adam Everiss, 4. Scott Armsworth, 5. Dean Stow (Capt) 6. Harrison Cliff, 7. Claudio Herbert, 8. Ben Cook, 9. George Hallahan, 10. Bradley Wilson, 11. Simon Dunn

On the bench: Riccardo Andrady, D’Andre Brown, Ryan Sucking, Ousman Darboe & Ben Dillon.

Bolstered by an above average crowd and the BBC South cameras, your Basingstoke side with a strong wind by us, will be attacking the clubhouse end in the first half.

It’s Stoke who are dominating the possession and are encamped in Utd’s half in the first five minutes.

The first chance comes on 8mins, as a free-kick just inside the visitors half, is pumped into the penalty area, it is initially cleared, but comes back in and the ball falls to George Hallahan, whose shot is blocked and the ball bounces back to Simon Dunn, whose left shot, has the keeper beaten, but rolls six inches wide of the far post.

More Stoke pressure, and our next chance on 12mins, this time falls to Bradley Wilson, as a pass over the top of the back four, sends Wilson away, who clips the ball over the oncoming keeper, but this time the ball bounces six inches wide of the other post.

The visitors have their first attack (16mins), of sorts as a Utd player dribbles a shot from around 30yds that Aaron Watkins in goal picks up. This is then followed up by another attack which we head clear and Ben Cook takes it away and we break down the left and Wilson completes a nice one – two with Dunn and Wilson takes it towards the byline and sends over a low cross that is helped out over the line for a corner. Cook, using the wind, just over-hits the corner and it’s a goal-kick.

On 23mins, we lose the ball in midfield and Utd break but a good blocking tackle by Armsworth, falls to a Utd forward whose shot flies 10yds wide of the left-hand post.

On 25 mins, we create another chance as a cross from Adam Everiss, causes panic in the visitors half, as the ball rolls away from a goal, but Hallahan wins a tackle and regains the ball and sends in a low shot come cross that the big Utd keeper dives fall length on the ground and saves. In the Hallahan challenge the Utd right-back has gone down and the game is stopped for him to receive medical attention. He is able to continue.

The next five to 10 minutes we are the team on the attack, but do not create anything of note.

Then on 37mins, a cross from Alfie Saunders is initially headed clear and the ball falls to Cook 25yds out, hits a shot, although well hit, it flies a yard over the bar.

On 39mins, Mangotsfield win their corner of the game, but the ball is met by a Stoke head and we are able to clear the ball to the halfway line.

On 39mins, Harrison Cliff wins two strong tackles in midfield and sends Wilson away down the left, but his cross is met by the keeper.

On 43mins we again break from midfield and it’s Cook who bludgeons his way through two tackles, then slides a nice pass to Hallahan just inside the penalty area, But George’s left-foot shot is straight at the keeper who saves comfortably.

We are straight back on it and force a corner down the left, the corner is initially cleared but comes straight back and the ball falls at the feet of two Stoke players, and it’s Simon Dunn who swings a boot at it and slams it past the keeper. GOAL! Basingstoke Town 1-0 Mangotsfield Utd (45mins).

The game gets back underway and the referee plays another minute before blowing the halftime whistle.

The game gets back underway at 4.08pm and Stoke create two attacks on 49mins, but both attempts are well blocked by the visitors back four.

Then on 52mins we double our lead, as a cross from the right-hand side finds Bradley Wilson in space and he takes a touch then clots the ball past the keeper into the net. GOAL!! Basingstoke Town 2 -0 Mangotsfield Utd

Then two minutes later we should have increased the lead as the Utd defence are in disarray as Wilson and Dunn get in each others way by the penalty spot, and a blocked shot falls to Hallahan just to the right of the goal, but his shot is saved low down at the near post.
On 57mins the visitors have a decent shot on goal that is saved by Watkins, who throws the ball out to Cliff who breaks 15yds with it, before sliding the ball to Cook who works a good move with Wilson, who returns it back to Cook who slides it back to Wilson whose shot is poor as it flies high and wide over the bar.

Mangotsfield then have an attack that forces a good save by Watkins, as a right-foot shot from about 8yds is pushed out for a corner. The corner is met with Watkins who catches the ball and rolls the ball out to Saunders, who takes the ball 15yds before a tackle puts the ball out of touch and it’s time for Stoke to make their first change as Simon Dunn’s return ends on the hour, as is replaced by D’Andre Brown.

The next chance falls to us as Cliff makes another determined tackle and takes the ball over midfield, then finds Hallahan, who takes two touches and finds Everiss, who finds George again who then dinks it back to the running Everiss, but with the ball bouncing his shot from 8yds out is again poor and another chance goes missing as the ball flies over the bar.
The game is starting to get stretched and Utd look to get back in the game.

On 67mins we make our second change as Claudio Herbert is replaced by Ousman Darboe.
Another chance two minutes later as we are back in the visitors penalty area, and it’s in Dean Stow who finds Wilson in space, but his shot takes a touch of the keeper’s outstretched hand, hits the far post and rolls out and Mangotsfield are able to clear.

On 72 mins our third change is made as Ben Dillon replaces Bradley Wilson.
Another chance goes begging, after another fine attacking move by Cliff and Hallahan, finds Cook 6yds out, but rather than hitting it first time, he takes it on his right foot and that allows the keeper to get across and save his shot.

Mangotsfield then have a chance to pull one back, as a miss-hit shot rolls across the face of the goals and Saunders makes a last ditch tackle as a Utd forward tries to shoot and the ball is cleared.
It’s Utd again as they put more pressure on our back four in our penalty area and Everiss half clears the ball back to a Utd player who sends it back into the 6yd area, and the ball is blocked away but straight to another Utd player who slams a shot that flies past the keeper in to the top far corner of the net. Stoke lead 2-1 (79mins).

On 83mins, Dean Stow goes in the book for a heavy tackle just inside our own half. The free-kick is pumped deep into our box and is half-headed clear but the ball finds it way to another Utd forward whose shot flashes across the face of the goal and out for a goal-kick.

Then on 86 mins a nice move between Ben Dillon and Darboe, allows space for Darboe 7yds out but his shot finds the keeper who palms it out for a corner.
Ben Cook then goes in the book for wasting time when he throws the ball away at a throw-in.
On 89mins we create another chance as the ball is slid through to Hallahan, who races away and then turns on his left, then back to his right, but as he unleashes a shot, a Utd leg blocks it out for a corner.
Now in 4 mins of injury-time, we hold the ball from the corner to waste a bit of time.

Two good tackles by Cliff and Cook again halts any attacks from Mangotsfield and the referee calls time and blows the final whistle.

Final Score: Basingstoke Town 2 v 1 Mangotsfield United

In a game against a much weakened Mangotsfield team we pick up all three points in a game that should have been put to bed much earlier, but we are back off bottom place as Barnstaple get thumped 0-6 at home to Paulton Rovers.
Back on the road next week at promotion chasers Melksham Town, who lost 1-0 at Evesham Utd.
Today’s Golden Goal winner was an unknown winner on 45 minutes.
Match Report by Martin French..